Christmas tree stand



Oct. 3, 1950 M. LAMPE CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Filed June 2, 1948 2. Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

l4 7 FIT l4 FIG. 3.

l6 IO [6 I M i Q WW4 Inventor MAURlCE LAMPE hJMJ\ M. LAMPE CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Oct. 3, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2. 194 8.

Inventor MAURICE LAMPE wmw Attorney 5- Patented Oct. 3, 1 950 UNITED V STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,524,671 CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Maurice Lampe, Madill, Okla. Application June 2, 1948, Serial No. 30,547

8 Claims. 1

The present inventionrelates to supports designed more particularly for holding Christmas trees, although it will be understood that its utility is not limited to that particular purpose. It has for its object to provide a holder or support by which the trunk of the three or other device to be supported may be securely held in place and supported against tippin or displacement, the device being .of. such character that it may be readily assembled and disassembled, and when in disassembled position, packed in a small com- "eters.

In the drawings herewith is illustrated one embodiment of my inventionand in said drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the support.

Figure 2 is a view in plan showing thegripping members engaging a tree trunk ofrelatively large I Figure 3 is a view in plan showing the gripping members engaging a trunk of smaller size, the compressing members being adjusted to compress the gripping members. 7

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device showing it being applied to a large tree trunk.

Figure 5 is a plan view showing thev device of Figure 4 in'final trunk engaging position. A

Figure 6 is a side view of the' slotted gripping member.

Figure 7 is a side view of a notched compressing member.

Figure 8 shows the gripping and compressing members assembled for shipment.

Referring to the drawings by numbers, like numbers indicating like parts in the several views, slotted gripping members I0 are provided, which members are provided with gripping sections II herein shown as centrally placed. One at least of the members [0 will be tapered from its middle toward its ends. As here shown, both of the members ID are so tapered, this giving a wedgelike form longitudinally to the members III. The gripping sections I I will preferably be provided with a seat l2 to engage the tree trunk and give a firm grip. The members III are provided with slots I3 which may be of any desired length and which, as here shownextend from the gripping sections I l to near the ends I l of the members I0. Slots I3 may extend through the ends I4 of the members I!) if desired.

Removably mounted in the slots I 3 of the members II] are the compressing members I 5 which are preferably of substantially the same length and width as the members In so that when assembled, as shown in Figure 1, a stable support which will rest level on the floor is provided, The members I5 are notched at their central portions so as to provide a slot-engaging portion I6 and permit the members It to be moved in the slots to force the wedge-sh-aped'or tapering members III together and compress the gripping sections II against the tree trunk, here conventionally shown at IT. The compressing members I5 are of such thickness as to permit them to be engaged with the slots I3 in the members I0 and then, by reason of the notched construction, turned to take the position shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4) the portion I6 being preferably rounded as shown to permit easy turning of the compressing members I5 in the slots.

The compressing members I5 can be moved to different positions in the slots I3 of the members compressing members I5 will sufficiently hold the trunk-engaging members ID in position to grasp the large trunk member I! when the gripping members are disposed at or near the ends of the slotted members In. When a smaller trunk I! is to be engaged as shown in Figure 3, the compressing members I 5 will be moved inwardly along the wedge-shaped members In so as to grip the smaller tree trunk. This adapts the device to a wide range of trunk diameters. I

In order to align and position the compressing members I5 when they are at the ends of the members III, the ends M of the members Ill will preferably be slightly enlarged to form stops against which the members I5 will bear when they are in the position shown in Figure 2, and the stops I 4 also form closures for the ends of the slots I3 so that the compressing members I5 cannot be displaced longitudinally of the slots. By this construction, when the parts are assembled, a very stable support is provided and one in which the assembled parts will not be accidentally displaced.

As stated, the members l and are substantially the same length and width permitting them to be assembled for shipment, as shown in Figure 8, in very compact form.

In Figures 4 and 5, the device is shown adapted to a tree trunk of large size. In this adaptation of the invention, the gripping members I0 will be positioned as shown in Figure 4 with their ends M engaged with one of the slotted members 15. The opposite spread ends [4 of the gripping members I0 will then be compressed by hand and brought to the position shown in Figure 5 with the notched member [5 turned to hold the members In in compressed position. It will be understood that the gripping members ID will yield or bend under the compressing action of the members l5 so as to tension the members H] in their final gripping position and under compression of the members I5, the ends l4 of the slotted gripping members will tend to be drawn together.

In assembling the parts about the tree trunk H, or other thing to be supported, the members I0 will be positioned with their gripping sections H engaging the trunk. The compressing members l5 will then be slid into the slots IS on either side of the gripping sections ll until the portion IB is brought to turning position in the slots [3. The compressing members [5 can then be turned and brought to the position shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3. The compressing members l5 can then be moved in the slots l3 and along the tapered surfaces of the wedge-like members IE! so as to compress the gripping sections H about the tree trunk, the parts being frictionally held in their adjusted positions. The angularrelation of the members H] and I5 furnishes a stable support when the parts are assembled and one which can be moved readily from place to place without disassembling it from its trunk-holding position.

Such changes from the specific form here shown as involve only mechanical skill and are comprehended by the appended claims defining the invention are to be regarded as within the purview of the invention.

I claim:

1. A support of the class described comprising two slotted members, one at least of which is of wedge form in cross section; gripping sections on said members between the slots to engage the object tobe held, and a slot-engaging compressing member disposed at an angle to said slotted members and movable laterally in said slotted members to compress said gripping sections.

Number 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which both slotted members are of wedge form in cross section and the slot-engaging compressing member is disposed at right angles to said slotted members.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which both slotted members are of wedge form in cross section and a plurality of slot-engaging compressing members movable in the slots are disposed at right angles to said slotted members.

4. The invention as defined in claim 2 in which means are provided. for aligning and positioning the slot-engaging compressing member relative to said slotted members.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 in which the slotted members are provided with enlarged ends to align and position the slot-engaging compressing members relative to said slotted mem-.

bers.

6. The invention as defined in claim 3 in which the compressing members are of substantially the same width as said slotted members and are notched between their ends to engage the slots.

7. A support of the class described comprising a plurality of members of wedge form in cross section having slots in their ends, gripping sections on said members between the slots, a plurality of compressing members of substantially the same width as said first-named members and disposed at right angles thereto, and reduced portions on said compressing members engaging and movable in the slots to compress said gripping sections.

8. A knock down support of the class described comprising two slotted members tapering from their middles to their ends, gripping sections at the middles of said slotted members, and notched compressing members of substantially the same width and length as said slotted members removably mounted and shiftable in said slotted members to compress said gripping sections.

' MAURICE LAMPE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Homan Jan. 26, 1897 Mitchell Jan. 12, 1909 Shaw Nov. 29, 1921 Davis May 11, 1948 v 

